Homeless veterans in the United States face many hardships and difficulties within an environment that they risked life and limb to protect. While there are many programs, policies, organizations, and agencies present to help homeless veterans, a lot of the veterans who need them the most may not have the means or knowledge to reach out to them.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs conducts coordinated outreach efforts to actively search for the aforementioned veterans that may not be able to find them. The Department of Veterans Affairs connects homeless and at risk veterans with housing assistance, health care, local employment services, and other support (Homeless Veterans, 2017). The VA also collaborates with faith based and secular non-profits in order to help veterans find support as well. For veterans who do have the means to seek out assistance for themselves can go to their local VA medical centers or community resource and medical centers for help.
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The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans also assists veterans who are homeless or at risk with health care, housing, substance abuse and mental health treatment, employment, finances, legal affairs, and other general needs while also serving as a primary advocate on behalf of veterans in need (Step by Step, n.d.). They also have a list of phone numbers to various organizations and agencies that can assist homeless and at risk veterans.
In summary, these two organizations are two of many that are present to assist homeless veterans in need. The issue is not necessarily the amount of assistance that is available, but the amount of access that at risk veterans have to these services. If a veteran is homeless, they probably do not have access to internet or phone services at every moment so they may not know where to look.
